Eco-Literacy: The farm to school table project

Part of the educational mission of Anneliese Schools is to inculcate in children a deep awareness of the environment. Since the school’s inception, children have been taught how to grow food and how to take care of nature. Our eco-literacy program has evolved over time and is now an integral part of the academic curriculum. The farm to school table curriculum is interdisciplinary, connecting the garden to science, math, art, literature and anthropology. Children learn how ecological principles and environmental issues relate to a working garden and the environment.

Students also actively participate in the processes of growing, harvesting
and maintaining an organic garden, including water reclamation, pest management, harvesting seeds and composting. The outdoor classroom allows for students to record their observations, participate in lectures and examine specimens from the garden. Part of the farm to school table curriculum offers courses in the culinary arts. The kitchen classroom focuses on the link between vibrant food harvested from the school’s gardens and nutrition, as well as the connection between food, anthropology and cultural studies.